Chasing Ghosts
by be93
Summary: He stood very still. In the middle of the forest the moonlight shone down and a light breeze rang through, making the leaves gently blow in the wind. She stood a small distance away, her curly hair blowing in the wind... Post S2 Pre S3.


**A small idea I have been playing with for a while, Post S2 but pre S3. Hope you enjoy. Please review and constructively critisce.**

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Chasing Ghosts

He stood very still. In the middle of the forest the moonlight shone down and a light breeze rang through, making the leaves gently blow in the wind. She stood a small distance away, her curly hair blowing in the wind, her blue eyes shining, staring right at him. She looked beautiful, and he didn't want her to go. He didn't want to risk loosing her, not again.

He didn't utter a sound, not even a mere whisper. He stood there silently, his breath held, staring at the beautiful woman before him. She began to turn away and he fought back all his emotions not to scream at her to stay. But unlike before she didn't simply vanish, he wasn't left twirling around, running through the forest looking for her, this time she was simply walking away. And so he followed her.

Followed her through the leaves, bending under low branches, jumping over fallen logs, struggling up hills, speeding down them, following a long, silver stream of water. Always following her long, glossy, curly hair, watching it bounce with the small spring in her step. How could she be this happy? How could she possibly be content and cheerful?

She began to slow as they edged closer towards their destination. She was softly gliding across the forest floor and for the first time he realised she wasn't wearing any shoes. Then, looking again he realised her feet were not hurt neither were they bleeding or dirty. He looked up at her perfectly clean, white dress. He looked at the way it didn't look worn, or creased. In fact there was no sign on her at all that she even moved. No mark to show the walk they had just shared. He looked into her sharp, blue eyes, they stared back at him but she was not truly there, they had a faint haze across them.

He turned to see where she had taken him. He looked to his right and saw Locksley, a few chimneys had smoke rising from them but the large majority were smokeless. Women carried buckets of water from the well, their frail arms suffering from the weight. Small children walked around in huddles rather than thundering across the grass play fighting. Men came back to their cottage with whatever small amounts of food they could carry; pitiful amounts of bread and old meat.

He looked away; he knew what she was showing him. His men had told him of the state of Locksley, of the whole of Nottinghamshire. But a part of him no longer cared, he no longer wanted to help them, he himself didn't want to be helped.

He looked back at her and the haze seemed to disappear from her eyes, she was showing him what he had let their country become. She knew she was the only one who could make him see. She was the only one who could make him change.

He took a step towards her, closing the gap between them, he didn't dare try and touch her but he stood sheer inches from her face, but he couldn't feel her breath upon his face. He was resigned to the fact she was simply a ghost, a preferred illusion, what he dreamt and wanted and needed to see. And he was simply chasing these ghosts, these hopes and dreams.

Indeed she had showed him what he had needed to see, and he knew now that he had to change, he had to find the man he once was, who he had been only a few months ago, before his life had fallen apart before she had left him, when time had kept going, always ticking, always passing, always being full of something or someone. Now time melted away without her by his side, but he needed, and was willing to change.

He no longer feared death, but now he was no longer willing it on. He didn't have to die to see her face; he simply had to close his eyes and dream. He looked up from the floor to see she had gone, however rather than crying or trying to find her once more he smiled knowing she had fulfilled her purpose and was back now where she was needed. Where she was supposed to be. Where one day he would join her, but not for now. For now he was needed elsewhere, he was needed here; at home.

He would work here and make England good again. And when that was done Robin would return to his Marian.


End file.
